Meadow Lake Co-Op Service Centre sells bear spray behind a closed glass encasement. (Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

BEAR SPRAY CAUTION

Be careful with bear spray, RCMP advises

Jun 11, 2020 | 4:44 PM

As parks and playgrounds are slated to open Friday, RCMP are urging the public to be vigilant after a partially full canister of bear spray was located in a Meadow Lake green space.

Sgt. Steve Hurst with the Meadow Lake RCMP told meadowlakeNOW the public should dispose of dangerous objects like bear spray found in the community or make arrangements with officers to have them dispose of it for you.

“We can make arrangements to dispose of it but officers do not recommend coming into a detachment when turning in a weapon,” he said. “If you encounter something like that, we can make arrangements to dispose of it. Don’t come into the detachment office with it in hand.”

While bear spray attacks have occurred in the community in previous years, Hurst said he’s not aware of any recent incidents. He said if an individual comes across bear spray, there is no way to confirm whether the product has been tampered with or whether its contents are what it appears to be.

The public is reminded that an individual can face assault with a weapon charges if someone uses it on another person, carries it as personal protection or possesses the spray with the intent to use on another individual.

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“Once we find [someone] with bear spray on their person and let’s say it’s concealed in their jacket or in their pocket, or in a waist band or in a car, for us to be able to prove its intended use, then becomes part of the investigation,” he said. “If someone uses it on an individual and it’s very easy to prove whether the spray was used on an individual or in a residence and whether the individual was carrying it in a concealed manner then it starts to look like assault with a weapon or carrying a concealed weapon.”

Meadow Lake Co-Op Service Centre sells bear spray behind a closed glass encasement. Purchasers are required to provide personal information to obtain the product and must be over 18 years of age. Retailers are legally required present a declaration for customers to provide such information in accordance with the Pest Control Products Act of Canada. If an individual refuses to provide personal information, they cannot purchase the product.

“It’s very clear in the Controlled Pest Controlled Products Act which outlines the guidelines of a store or retailer if they are to sell it,” Hurst said. “They record a certain amount of information including when it was purchased.”

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722